Bracelet connector



Nov. 11, 1941. s. RITTER BRACELET CONNECTOR Filed Augl5, 1937 I. I il. hallal-lilium l f um {NVENTOR 5A l/L. R l 7`ER ATTORNEY l W WH W Patented Nov. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l 2,262,623 f BRACELET CONNECTOR Saul Ritter, Far Rockaway, N. Y.

Application August 13, 1937, Serial No. 158,826

6 Claims.

rIhis invention relates to bracelet connectors and relates more particularly to attachments of the extensible type for lwatch bracelets or the like.

It is an object of the invention tov provide an improved extensible attachment or connector so constructed and arranged that it may be open for removal while simultaneously extended.'

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracelet connector of the foldable ty-pe in which the foldable members are positively locked when folded by means which may be manually released for unfolding.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description together With the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my braceletv connector;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the connector;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the foldable members in extended positions;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the connector when in folded position.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the internal operating lstructure of the connector member, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a combined ratchet and latch.

Itis Well known that the popular type of wrist watch strap comprises several foldable members which are hingedly connected and which when open extend the length of the strap for removal over the hand, but when the said members are closed or folded they serve to snugly bind the bracelet or band to the wrist.

Numerous constructions have been employed for this type of connector and certain disadvantages have been found in practice as for example, it has been difficult to provide a structure wherein the foldable members may be easily and effectively retained in foldable or closed relation.

Furthermore, it has heretofore been necessary when unfolding connectors to insert the thumb nail under one end which operation had obvious disadvantages. On the other hand the means which retain the foldable members in folded relation usually comprise a number of notches formed in a side wall of one of the members which notches were subject to Wear so that in time it became impossible for the user to effectively hold the members in the desired folded relation as is necessary to secure a wrist watch in place on the wrist.

In addition to providing foldable members to take up slack, devices of the present character: usually included an extensible member which could be retained in any adjusted extended orv retracted position.

In accordance with the present invention Iv provide a bracelet `connector comprised of a plurality of foldable members, one of which serves to retain a slidable or extension member, and latch means on one member for engaging another of the foldable members to positively retain the members in their folded relation. The latch means provided to hold the foldable members in their closed positions is so arranged as to be operable manually by pressure of the finger and so constructed that upon release of the latchi'ng means the extensible member is re-l leased from any pre-adjusted position.

In the selected embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a connector member I0 is provided, comprising foldable members H, I2 and I3. The member I3 is constructed in the form of a housing having side walls I4 and I5- to receive an extension member I6 which is slidable between lugs I1 formed froml or otherwise provided on the walls I4 and I5. Extension member I6y may be hinged at I8 to one end of a band I9 andmember II may be connected at 2| 'to one end of a band 22. may be of any desired form, as' for example, sections of a link chain or strap which sections are connected in the usual way to a wrist watch. f Y

As shown in Fig. 4 the housing I3 is provided.;v

said member 23 is shown in the form of doublev arm elements and arm 25 thereof may be constructed to constitute a spring which carriesfa latch member 26 and a pawl member 2'I. When positioned in the housing a finger piece v28 ex# tends through a slot 30 in the housing so that when the finger piece is pressed the la-tch member and thepawl are actuated.

For lthe purpose 'of steadying the latch and ratchet member the member 23 is provided with an arm or cross piece 29 which fits between the walls of the housing and with an extension or` dummy fingers piece 3| which extends through the wall of the housing opposite to thenger piece..

28. When the pawl and latch member 23 is in position the extension member which is provided with teeth 32 slides over the latch memq The bands I9 and 22 This member is" l member is closed, that is, when the foldable members are in their folded relation, the ward 34 snaps over the latch 26 thus holding the-l foldable members in their folded positions and i maintaining the connector in position to hold a wrist watch snugly against the wrist of the Q wearer.

Any slight difference or slack rmay be taken engages the teeth of the extension member holdj ing it -inV its adjusted position. When it is dej sired to remove the connector, pressure isv apg plied to the linger piece 2,8 which operation moves l the latch 26, disengaging `it from the ward 34 l whereby the foldable members may be lifted or up by moving the extension member ,I6 inwardl ly with respect to the housing so that thev pawl 21 g unfolded.` This same operation releases the pawl j 1 or ratchet from the teeth 32 whereby the wearer 1 may easily and conveniently cause the extension member to become extended for the removal of the bracelet. t

\ It will be obvious from the foregoing that ,the present bracelet connector provides a simple and i convenient construction whereby the actualA lifting movement with the pressure applied to the finger piece causes the complete opening of the 1 bracelet and the closing operation follows ytheA Q same order as the user has heretofore become 1 accustomed in connection with connectors of the present type.

l may be used through a long useful life without l the disadvantage of accidental separation due to worn parts, since the latch is carried by a springv arm andY the `wear upon the wardis negligible.

: .Although a preferred embodiment is shown' i and described herein, it will be understood that fmodifications may be made withoutV departing froml the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth lthe appended claims. -What is claimed is: l f n 1. A connector for a wrist watch band com prising ahousing, a member-.hingedly connected to'one end of said housing, a second member lhingedly connected to said rstmember, said members being foldable for disposition in said ghousing; an extensible member disposed in said housing and movable relative thereto, a plurality orf teeth on said extension member, a springl jpawl in said housing for holding said extensible `memberin an adjusted position, means carried v3by said pawl for retaining said first and second members in folded relation and la finger Qpiece integral with said pawl extending; from saidA housing for moving said pawl to release said-,ex- :tensible member and said folded members.

; f 2.-\A bracelet connectorcomprising a plurality of members hinged together to fold in over-lapping Vfolded relation, one of said members having side walls constituting a housing and arranged to receive the other members when folded,

anextension member slidable in said housing,

As above pointed out the presentV connector teeth on said extension member, a pawl in said housing for engaging said teeth to hold said extension member in an adjusted position, a ward on one of said foldable members, means carried by said pawl for engaging said ward to hold said members in folded relation and a finger piece operable to actuate said pawl to'release said members and to actuate said pawl to release said extension member. l

3. A connector for a wrist watch strap comprising a plurality of foldable members, a housing for said members when folded, an extension member slidable in said housing, teeth on said extension member, a pawl for engaging said teeth to hold said extension member in an adjusted position and a latch member carried by said pawl for engagement Vwith one of said foldable members Vto hold said foldable members in folded relation.

4. A connector for a wrist watch'strap comprising a plurality of. foldable members, a housing for said members when folded, an extension memberslidabley in said v housing, teeth onsaid extension member, a U-shaped spring member having one end thereof secured to said housing, rthe-other end of said Uk-shaped member being free, a ;lip on saidv free end normally engaging said teeth tovhold jsaid extensionf member in an adjusted position, and' means carried on said fr eeend for holding'said foldable members in folded-relation.

5. A connector Yfor a wrist watch strap comprising a plurality of foldable members, a housing to receive said members, an extension link slidable insaid housing, aspring pawl mounted in andradapted to be moved laterallyof said housing, teeth on said link forV engagement by said pawl to vhold said link in' an adjusted position, means carried by said pawl for Aholding said members in folded relation, and means extending from said housing forlateral movement to move said pawl to release said members and disengage said teeth.. I `v n 6. In a bracelet clasp and extension member, liavingl a topsection, a bottom* section,- and an intermediate section, 'said top VVsection being' pivoted on one end of said intermediate section and said bottom section being pivoted on the other end thereof, said intermediate .I section being adapted to be folded into said top section, and saidtop section lbeing adaptedlto be folded into saidbottom section, a slidable extensionmemberin said bottom section, a spring member having an outward tendency in said bottomsection,`

a side wall on said bottom section, a portion-of said spring slidably projecting throughsaid Wall, releasable locking means between said top section and said spring whereby said spring, and said bottom section therethrough, and said top section rnormally'are locked to one another when said sections are in a folded condition, inter-act-H ing locking means on said spring member andy on said sliding member normally locking `said sliding member against-*movement in a desired direction, saidv spring member being adapted to be moved inwardly by -a pressure on said 'projeotingv portion thereof, land said inward move` ment of the samer Vsimultaneously releasingsaidlocking means between said bottomv and Vtop secmernber, respectively.-

SAUL RIT'I'E-R.y

tions and between saidsliding and said spring- 

